MINIVERSE APP
PROJECT TYPE | UX Case Study
THE PROMPT
Design the User Experience for Miniverse, a social media platform for miniature tabletop gamers. The end product needed to include a number of complications ranging from unique user profiles, user generated content, an event platform for scheduling and arranging meetings, and an ecommerce portal for users to buy and sell their hobby figures.
THE SOLUTION
The current digital landscape for miniature table top gaming has users spread across multiple social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Discord, and Twitch. The goal was to combine the best aspects of these apps in service of a niche hobby. As a table top gamer myself, I found myself annoyed having to flip through multiple apps and websites.
My strategy for the app:
After careful market research for other social media platforms that solved the same problems for it’s users I determined the main focus of this app should be to provide a home for mini tabletop gamers that consolidated the most important social aspects of the hobby while also maintaining a sense of familiarity with other established social platforms.
I did this through designing a clean interface with a clear labeling and categorical system, and the use of large images, being that the main social aspect of miniature tabletop gaming is the sharing of the figures themselves.
PROJECT DURATION
3 Weeks
April 2021 - May 2021
PROEJCT ROLE(S)
SOFTWARE USED
The Miniverse logo was designed to be a 20-sided game dice that contains a galaxy or universe. The color choices were space inspired, as is the rest of the platform. The idea being that all these games exist within a single universe of tabletop games and that the user gets to explore each World contained within, and hence, each game, in the palm of your hand.
The main components of the app revolve around the main aspects of the miniature gaming hobby.
Hobbyists and gamers enjoy watching or listening to videos related to the hobby while also working on their own projects, be that painting, putting together models, or even just to listen to lore about their favorite game. Users can create and stream their own videos, or search for ones that fall under the categories they love.
The Market section would serve as perhaps one of the largest components of the Miniverse, letting gamers and hobbyists have full access to an e-commerce and create their own listings. As 3-D printing becomes more prevalent in this market, hobbyists and gamers are always looking for new things and they can find these on the platform. Of course users will be able to find physical media to purchase and also buy and sell user generated listings operating similarly to Ebay, without the auction functionality.
Keeping up with the hobby is difficult enough let alone keeping track of the multitude of announcements and events that occur. The Miniverse allows users to find, create, and organize events and announcements within the Calendar.
The home page feed has classic and familiar interactions such as with other social platforms, including options to “like” “comment” and “share”, a search box to find users and worlds, and a New, Popular, and Local scroll bar to change your feed preferences. Images are large and full, and user’s posts are clearly labeled and categorized with color to organize the home feed so that users know exactly what information is in each post.
Exploring a World would be similar to a subscription or following a hashtag. It would show you every post related to the game you are following. The Miniverse home page feed would show you profiles you are following within each World, as well as profiles that you can befriend. The Miniverse allows greater interaction with individuals that become friends such as inviting them to private events, and sending private messages.
From each main page of the app, users can generate their own content, depicted here is what users can create from the Home menu. On the “post” page users can categorize their content so that other users can more easily find it.
